Happy and Healthy Pregnancy

Feel more confident and calm in the many choices you have throughout your pregnancy and birthing time. This course provides all you need to know about pregnancy, childbirth, and the basics of newborn care including emotions, budgeting, and how to prepare yourself and your family.

Details

Without a doubt, having a baby is a life-changing experience. And it can sometimes feel overwhelming as you prepare for the many changes you'll face. By learning all about pregnancy, childbirth, and the basics of newborn care, you'll feel better prepared and ready for the challenges ahead.

In this course, you'll learn how the different stages of pregnancy will affect your body, your moods and emotions, and even your relationships. You'll take a look at the latest nutrition, diet, and exercise information, how pregnancy can change your sex life, and how to financially prepare for your baby. You'll even learn about ways you can cultivate a strong support network to help you through these transitions. You will review different types of childbirth preparation classes, how to choose your healthcare provider, and options for where you would like to give birth. The lesson also covers the basic physical aspects of childbirth and taking care of mom and baby after the birth.

The goal of this class is to help you feel more confident and calm in the many choices you have throughout your pregnancy and birthing time. The first step to a happy and healthy pregnancy is a happy and healthy you. This class is designed to inform, encourage, and support you during this amazing time of life.

Enrollment Options:

Syllabus

You're pregnant! In this first lesson, you'll examine the basics of pregnancy. You'll discover that a happy and healthy pregnancy involves preparing for physical, emotional, and even social changes. The lesson will teach you the basics of a prenatal appointment and what to expect with your first doctor's visit. You'll also learn about common fears and worries that pregnant women experience—and how to address them. Even if you're well into your pregnancy, this lesson will help you appreciate the amazing work your body is doing during these nine months!

This lesson is all about diet, nutrition, and exercise. You'll go over basic recommendations for what you should and shouldn't eat while you're pregnant, as well as some positive changes you can make for your and your baby's nutritional benefit. You'll also learn about important (and simple!) exercises you can incorporate into your daily routine.

Already feeling some pregnancy highs or lows? You're not alone! This lesson will discuss the changing emotions associated with pregnancy. You'll learn about physical causes for these emotional shifts, as well as some of the common feelings and experiences of mothers-to-be. What's most important about your emotional state during pregnancy is that you know what's within the range of normalcy.

In this lesson, you'll examine the basics of effective communication. Pregnancy comes with many changes to your life, so it's a great time to strengthen your communication skills. Learning to be a strong communicator will help you advocate for your needs, express your feelings, and be confident in discussing your choices for you and your baby. You'll review some ways to practice effective communication with your partner and other important people in your life, and you'll even learn how to communicate with your baby!

You're probably beginning to wonder by now whether some of the physical changes you've been noticing are normal. In all likelihood, yes! Your body will go through a major transformation during pregnancy, and this lesson will discuss some of the most common physical changes you can expect, as well as some less common changes. You'll learn what to look out for that might be cause for concern, and the lesson will also discuss some discomforts you might be feeling and how you can remedy them. Finally, you'll take a look at a few trimester markers for you and your baby!

In this lesson, you'll look at some of the major lifestyle changes that can occur during pregnancy, including how and when you sleep and adjustments to your sex life. The lesson will also discuss some mental shifts you're likely to encounter, and you'll look at some ways that you can begin preparing for these changes now. Yes, your life will change in some less-than-desirable ways, but you'll find that you're more resilient than you think!

This lesson is all about the social constructs surrounding pregnancy. You'll look at social dilemmas that you're likely to face and social trends affecting your pregnancy and birth. The lesson will also discuss ways that you can create and develop social support throughout your pregnancy.

Have you be thinking about your birth options? You've probably heard that you can give birth in a hospital, a birth center, or even at home. This lesson will explain those options and describe the key differences between them. It will also talk about the types of childbirth preparation classes that you can take, and you'll learn about doulas and their role in the birth process. You have a lot of choices when it comes to the delivery of your baby, and you'll take a close look at them in this lesson!

Budgeting is particularly important when you're expecting a new baby. You'll review some important planning you might want to consider before your baby arrives and look at how your finances are likely to change and how you can prepare for these changes. The lesson will also discuss planning for work and childcare.

Fear of delivery is common for pregnant women. This lesson will give you the basics about birthing, so you can walk into the labor room armed with knowledge. You'll examine the three stages of childbirth and look closely at the phases within each stage. The lesson will also address some typical emotions and experiences women go through during each of these stages and talk about specifics associated with C-sections. By the end of this lesson, you'll know what you can expect to feel and experience as your body prepares to give birth.

Think of this lesson as baby basics. You'll go over what you can expect a baby to look and act like in the first few weeks in the world. You'll learn about your baby's senses, reflexes, and patterns for sleeping, waking, and eating, and you'll also review some of the decisions new parents have to make about a baby's medical and personal care. You'll come out of this lesson with the tools you need to be ready for your newborn!

The finally lesson will discuss how you can prepare for the first few days and weeks after giving birth. You'll learn some of the physical and emotional changes you can expect to experience and ways to cope with the adjustment to becoming a parent. You'll also review some of your options for preparing your home and family to welcome your new baby!

Requirements

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.

Software Requirements:

PC: Windows XP or later.

Mac: OS X Snow Leopard 10.6 or later.

Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.

Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites to take this course.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

Instructor

Denise Hopkins has taught childhood preparation classes for more than 10 years. She holds Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Jacksonville University and a master's in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma. Hopkins has also taught a number of sociology classes in sexuality, marriage, and gender.

Reviews

I truly enjoyed being in this class and the information I learned. I would definitely recommend this class to any pregnant woman. It was very helpful and informative. I am glad I took this class.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but this course was extremely helpful and informative. I made sure to print the lessons for future reference--and I will be using them!

Not only do I now have more resources at my fingertips, but I know how to use them with confidence. I am empowered! Thank you for everything, Denise!

This has been an amazing, thoroughly-written course, with fun game options and heartfelt, enriching discussions. Denise has been a patient and supportive guide through the many questions and directions that accompany her subject area of expertise

This course was very helpful and exactly what I was looking for. It answered a lot of the questions I had, and gave me information I didn't know I needed. This is a very good class and I would recommend it to others in a heartbeat.

I felt that the instructor was absolutely fabulous- she covered a great deal of material and made it simple to comprehend and fun to remember. She was complete and thorough! Thank you!